John Prew, of Glocester, foreground, who works for the Country View Golf Club in Burrillville, watches Rick Finlayson, right, golf professional at the club, as he completes his 75th hole.

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL / Bob Thayer Bob Thayer

BURRILLVILLE

He couldn’t have picked a better day to play 100 holes of golf.

By 11 o’clock yesterday morning at the Country View Golf Club in Harrisville, the temperature was 83 degrees with low humidity and not a cloud in the sky. Rick Finlayson, the club’s golf professional and general manager, was 63 holes into his quest to hit 100 holes for charity. He had been at it since 5:15 a.m.

But Finlayson, 42, was feeling good.

“We’re looking for 100 but more than likely we’ll get a few more,” he said, wearing a bright orange polo shirt, blue khakis and a beige cap.

The daylong fundraiser raised money for the Rhode Island Chapter of the ALS Association. The effort is on behalf of long-time member Gene Turgeon, who was recently diagnosed with ALS, which is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Finlayson said he hoped to raise about $4,500, which will be presented to the foundation in Turgeon’s name.

For the fundraiser, members were invited to donate a certain amount per hole. Members pledged more money for birdies and eagles, which occur when a golfer sinks a putt in one or two shots under “par,” which is the number of shots deemed necessary to complete a hole.

Country View holds annual events to raise money for ALS, but Finlayson said he wanted to do something a little different this year.

“It really is just a fun way of getting people involved and learning about this horrendous disease,” he said.

Richard Finlayson, Rick’s father, was on hand to keep the Reading, Mass., golf pro hydrated. After awhile, the muscles can become strained, making it harder for them to perform with the precision a golfer needs.

“I’m probably the only one that can tell him, ‘quit now’,” Richard said.

Finlayson said that, right now, the challenge is more mental than it is physical. The more birdies he sinks, the more money Finlayson raises for ALS. But for the past few holes he’s been one or two shots over.

“Once I get past [par] I feel like I’m doing something bad,” Finlayson said.

At the 64th hole, a par three, his first drive sails more than 100 yards and lands on the green. One putt away from a birdie, Finlayson’s ball lands inches away from the hole. Finlayson groans, and boards the golf cart and sips Gatorade on the way to the next hole.

That one’s a par four, meaning Finlayson will make a birdie if he sinks the ball in three shots. But his third putt rolls inches past the hole.

“Pushed it!” he yells as he knocks the ball in for par.

By the 72nd hole, Finlayson says he is getting sick of making par.

“It’s been that way all day, a little short, a little long,” he said.

But it’s all for charity, and you can’t beat this day.

khayes@projo.com